Building construction passageway



July 8, 1958 K. w. cousE ETAL 2,341,332

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PASSAGEWAY Filed Feb. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 8, 1958 K. w. COUSE ET AL 2,841,332

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PASSAGEWAY Filed Feb. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Shae: 2

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PASSAGEWAY Kibbey W. Couse and Robert M. Sutpheu, Newark, N. J assignors to Cause Manufacturing, Inc., Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 25, 1957, Serial No. 641,898

,7 Claims. (Cl. 20-2) This invention relates to aportable expansible building structure and more particularly to a connecting passageway and door construction for joining a pair of spaced expansible buildings together.

Portable expansible building structures are used to provide shelter at any desired location. The structures are generally mounted upon road wheels whereby they are easily transportable; the structure often comprising a trailer or a truck body. In the closed, or folded, condition it is desirable that the expansible structures be small enough to be permitted upon the public highways. When the destination is reached, the sides, floor and roof sections of the portable expansible building structure are expanded, or unfolded, thereby forming a large enclosed area. The expansible building, or truck body, contemplated by our invention is similar in construction to the Super-Expansible Vehicular Body described in patent application Serial Number 447,453 of Kibbey W. Couse, and filed August 3, 1954.

The amount of area which may be enclosed with a single expansible body is necessarily limited in amount. In our patent application Serial Number 616,456, filed October 17, 1956, and entitled Structure for and Method of Forming an Enclosure, a method of forming an enclosure is disclosed wherein a plurality of expansible building structures, or bodies, are grouped together in a manner such that the enclosed area is extended to any desired degree by merely adding additional expansible building structures, or bodies, to the grouping.

In the expansible building structure of the above-mentioned patent applications, no provision is made for entering the closed, or unexpanded, structure from the side. One form of our present invention contemplates the provision of a doorway in the side of a closed expansible body through which ingress and egress may be had to the building, or body interior. In addition, our present invention is directed to a collapsible-type passageway for interconnecting a pair of spaced, expansible building structures, or bodies, and which may be employed in expansible structures having a passageway in the side of the structure. I

An object of this invention is the provision of an expansible body having a doorway-in the side thereof through which the body maybe entered when in either a folded or an expanded condition.

An object of this invention is the provision of a collapsible-type passageway for interconnecting a pair of spaced, expansible building structures or bodies.

An object of this invention is the provision of an expansible building structure comprising the combination of a rigid floor; a floor panel hinged to the edge of the said floor andnormally extending upwardly at-right angles thereto, the said floor panel having an opening therein which terminates in the longitudinally extending free edge thereof; an opening cover member hinged to the, inner'edge of the said opening and normally extending upwardly and parallel to the said floor panel; bulkof the said floor; a roof structure including an angular roof panel hingedly connected for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the structure between thesaid bulkheads, the said angular roof panel including a normally horizontally extending first roof panel section and a normally vertically extending second roof panel section attached thereto; a wall panel hingedly connected to the longitudinally extending free edge of the said second roof panel section. and being normally folded along and inside the said second roof panel section; first and second door apertures positioned in the said wall panel and second roof panel section, respectively; first and second doors hingedly fastened about a vertical axis to the said wall panel and second roof panel section, adjacent the said first and second said door apertures, respectively; the said first door and door aperture being somewhat smaller in size than the said second door and door aperture, the said first and second doors being in a normally abutting relation, the said first door being adapted to be pivoted outwardly to an opened position through the said second door aperture when the said second door is in an outwardly pivoted position, the said cover opening being adapted to be pivoted inwardly away from the said door apertures, thereby forming a ramp between the said floor and floor panel opening.

An object of this invention is the provision of an expansible building structure comprising the combination of a rigid floor; a floor panel hinged to the edge of the said floor and normally extending upwardly at right angles thereto; bulkheads fixed to and extending upwardly from the ends of the said floor; a roof structure including an angular roofpanel hingedly connected for pivotal move ment about an axis extending longitudinally of the structure between the said bulkheads, the said angular roof heads -fixed to and extending upwardly from the ends panel including a normally horizontally extending first roof panel section and a normally vertically extending second roof panel section attached thereto; a wall panel hingedly fastened to the said longitudinally extending free edge of the said second roof panel section, the said wall panel having a door aperture therein; a door pivotally connected to the said wall panel and adapted to fit in the said door aperture in the closed position; and a collapsible passageway attached to the said wall panel adjacent the said door aperture therein, the said collapsible passageway being in a normally collapsed condition between the said wall panel and floor panel, the said angular roof panel being adapted to be pivoted into an inclined position in the open position of the structure, the said wall panel being adapted to be pivoted into an inverted vertical position wherein the said collapsible passageway is positioned to the outer ends of the expanded structure, the said collapsible passageway being adapted to be unfolded into an outwardly extending position from the said wall panel.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and are showing the structure in an expanded, or unfolded, condition;

Figure 3 is a view which is similar to Figure 2 only showing a door in an opened position:

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view taken on line 4-4 of Patented July 8, 1958 Figure 1, portions of the drawing being broken away for clarity;

Figure 5 is afragmentary vertical sectional view of a pair of expansible structures grouped together in a side-byside manner and showing our collapsible passageway extending therebetween;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the collapsible passageway in a collapsed position;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified form of expansible structure showing a pair of such structures in a spaced side-by-side position;

Figure 8 is a viewwhich is similar to Figure 7 only showing the structures connected together;-

Figure 9 is a view which is similar to. Figure 7 only showing the expansible structures expanded to an open, or unfolded, position; and

Figure 10 is a view which is similar to Figure 9 only showing the expansible structures connected together.

Reference is now made to Figure 1 of the drawings, wherein there is shown a fragmentary vertical sectional view of an expansible building structure illustrating one form of our invention which includes a collapsible passageway 21. The expansible building structure, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a rigid floor 22 which may be mounted upon road wheels (not shown in the drawings) wherein the expansible structure forms a trailer or a vehicular truck body. It will be understood that only a fragmentary portion of one, side of the structure is shown in the drawing, and that the other side may comprise a mirror image of the side which is shown. A floor panel 23 constituting a catwalk is attached to the side of the floor 22 by a hinge 24', and when the expansible structure is in normal folded condition, the floor panel 23 forms a semi-side member which extends longitudinally of the structure at right angles to the floor 22. The floor panel 23 is reduced in thickness along the outer edge thereof whereby a ledge 26 is formed. A floor panel flap 27 is pivotaliy connected to the floor panel 23 by means of a hinge 28 which is positioned on the ledge 26.

Front and rear bulkheads 29, 29 (only one of which is visible in Figure l) are fastened to the front and rear edges of the floor 22 and extend vertically upwardly therefrom. The upper ends of the bulkheads 29, 29 are joined together by a roof ridge member, not shown in the drawings. An angular roof panel 31, comprising a generally horizontally extending first roof panel section 32, and a generally vertically extending second roof panel section 33 integrally formed therewith, is pivotally connected to the roof-ridge member by a hinge extending longitudinally of the structure and positioned on the righthand edge of the first roof panel section 32, as viewed in Figure l, but not shown in the drawings. A wall panel 34 is attached to the outer margin of the second roof panel section 33 by means of a hinge 36. The wall panel 34, as seen in Figure l, is, normally folded inside or behind the second roof panel section 33. When the structure is in the normal, closed condition the first roof panel section 32 forms a portion of the roof, and the second roof panel section 33, together with the folded wall panel 34 and the floor panel 23, forms the enclosing side of the structure. The collapsible passageway 21 is attached to the inner side of the wall panel 34 and surrounds a door 37 which is hingedly connected to the wall panel about a vertically extending hinge 38, and which door fits within a door aperture 39 in the wall panel. In the folded, or closed, condition of the structure, the collapsible passageway is in a collapsed condition and positioned between the wall panel 34 and floor panel 23.

Reference is now made to Figure 2 of the drawings, wherein the expansible body is shown unfolded into an open, or expanded, condition. In the expanded position of the structure, the floor panel 23 is pivoted into a generally horizontal position, extending outwardly in a common plane with the floor 22. The ledge 26 at the edge of the floor panel 23 provides a supporting surface for the floor panel flap 27, which, in turn, acts to support the vertically extending wall panel 34, as shown. The angular roof panel 31, in the expanded condition of the structure, is pivoted about the roof ridge member (not shown in the drawings) to a position wherein the first and second roof panel sections 32 and 33, respectively, form a peaked roof structure. (Only a fragmentary end portion of the second roof panel section 33 of the angular roof panel 31 is visible in Figure 2.) The wall panel 34 is swung from a position adjacent the second roof panel section 33 to a vertical downwardly extending position therefrom and resting upon the floor panel flap. 27, as mentioned above. In Figure 2, it will be seen that a triangular-shaped fiap member 41 is provided between the said first and second roof panel sections 32 and 33, respectively, atthe'front and rear edges thereof. (In the closed condition of the structure, as shown in Figure l, theflap members 41 overlap the upper part ofthe bulk- 7 heads 29 and, therefore, are not visible in Figure 1.)

It will be noted that the collapsible passagewayZ-l is pivoted from a position within the structure, when the structure is in a folded, or closed, position to a position outside of the structure, when the structure is unfolded into. an open, or expanded condition.

Reference is now made'to Figure 3 of the drawings, wherein there is shown a view which is similar to Figure 2, except the door 37 is shown in an open, rather than a closed, position. It will be noted that the opening through the collapsed. collapsible passageway is sutficiently large to permit the door 37 to be swung therethrough into an open position. The door is provided with a handle 42 and suitable latch mechanism, not shown, for holding the door in the closed position.

In the fragmentary sectional view of Figure 4, which is taken on line 44 of Figure 1, portions of the floor panel 23 and attached floor panel flap 27 are shown broken away, thereby fully exposing the collapsible passageway 21. that the collapsible passageway 21 includes a generally rectangular-shaped flange member 43 having a plurality of holes 43a therethrough at spaced intervals about-the flange. The flange member 43 is connected through a continuous tunnel-like flexible collapsible covering member 44 to a second flange member 43 (not seen in Figure 4) which, in turn, is connected to the wall panel 34 by any suitable means.

Reference is now made to Figure 5 of the drawings, wherein there are shown two expansible structures interconnected by the collapsible passageways 21. The expansible structures shown in Figure 5 are opened to an expanded position with the wall panels a spaced distance apart and the door openings, or apertures, 39 spaced apart from each other. In the expanded condition of the structures, adjustable supporting posts 45 may be positioned beneath the floor panels 23 thereby providing added support thereto. A detachable catwalk 46, having a pair of L-shaped supporting members 47 attached thereto by rivets 48, or other suitable fastening means, is placed between the exapnded structures, through the door apertures 39, and hooked over the edge thereof .37 would provide some protection from the elements;

however, they would, in most instances, one: entirely in.- adequate protection. The collapsible passageways 21 provide a sealed construction between the two structures Referring to Figure 4, it will be seen (Only the door 37 for the which is substantiallyweatherproof. .Each of the collapsible passageways is extended to a position wherein the flanges 43 are brought into an abutting relation and the holes 4311 therein are in alignment. Fastening means 49, such as a bolt and nut combination are then utilized to secure the flanges 43 together. The collapsible passageways 21 thereby provide a completely sealed tunnellike construction between the two expansible bodies 20.

With the use of our novel collapsible passageway construction, the two expansible structures to be joined, do not have to be in exact lateral alignment or spaced an exact distance apart. The flexible collapsible covering members 44, which are used in the collapsible passageways, permit the building structures to be joined which are misaligned and which are not an exact predetermined spaced distance apart. This is a particularly important feature, because in practice, it is ditficult, and almost impossible to obtain an exact alignment and spacing of the two structures. If, for example, the structures are vehicular mounted, the driver of the one vehicle must maneuver the vehicle into proper position with respect to the other vehicle, and if the terrain isnot perfectly smooth, an exact alignment is virtually impossible. With our novel collapsible passageway the two expansible structures must only be brought into approximate alignment.

In Figure 6 of the drawings, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the collapsible passageway 21 is shown. The passageway is shown in a collapsed position. The flexible covering 44 is fastened to the flange members 43 and 43 along reversely bent edge portions 51 of the covering 44. The covering 44 has sufficient flexibility that it may be formed of a continuous, single, piece which extends completelyabout the door aperture 39.

. It will be noted that when the expansible building structure of the type shown in Figures 1-5 is in a closed, or folded, condition, as seen in Figure 1, the building may not be entered "from the side. In Figures 7-l0 of the drawings, a modified form,of expansible building structure is shown which includes means through which the closed expansible'building may be entered from the side. The modified building structure is provided with a door in the second roof panel section and a pivotal floor panel section in the floor panel, which door and pivotal floor panel section, are directly adjacent the door in the wall panel when the building is in-a closed, or folded, condition. The two doors and the floor panel section may be pivoted to. an open position when the building is unexpanded, thereby providing ready access to the unexpanded building structure interior through the side of the structure. l l

Reference is now made to Figure 7 of the drawings, wherein there is shown a fragmentary sectional view of two of the modified forms of expansible buildingstructures 20' in a closed condition and positioned a spaced distance apart. usual rigid floor 22 and a floor panel 23' pivotally attached to the side of the floor 22 by means of the hinge 24. The floor panel 23' has a ledge 26 which extends along the free outer edge thereof. Front and rear bulkheads 29, 29 (only one of which is visible in each building structure) extend vertically upwardly from the front and rear edges of the floor. A roof ridge member (not shown in the drawings) connects the upper ends of the front and rear bulkheads 29, 29. An angular roof panel 31, comprising a first Iroof panel section 32 and an in tegrally formed second roof panel section 33, is pivotally attached to the roof ridge member in a manner described above in the description of Figure 1. The wall panel 34 is attached to the outer margin of the second roof panel section 33' by the hinge 36, and includes a door 37' which is pivotally attached thereto. (The vertically positioned hinge for attaching the door to the wall panel is not shown in Figures 7-10.) The door 37 Each expansible structure lncludes the fits within a door aperture 39 in the wall panel 34 when the door is in a closed position.

The modified form of expansible building structure 20' is provided with an additional door 56 which is located in the second roof panel section 33, and a pivotal floor panel section 57, pivotally connected to the floor panel 23' by a hinge 58. The door 56 is pivoted about a vertically extending axis (not shown in the drawings) to the second roof panel section 33' and, when in a closed position, fits within a door aperture 59 therein. In the unexpanded condition of the expansible building structure, the pivotal floor panel section 57 may be positioned in an upwardly extending manner, so as to cover an opening 61 in the floor panel 23'. The opening 61 extends from the free edge of the floor panel 23 to a depth adjacent the lower edge of the opening 39 in the wall panel 34, as viewed in Figure 7. It will be noted that the door 56 and door aperture 59 are somewhat larger, in both height and width, than the door 37 and door aperture 39, and that the two doors 56 and 37 and doors 37 and 56 of the expansible building to the left,

in Figure 8, are not visible in the sectional view shown therein.) In order to open the doors, the larger door 56 is first pivoted to an open position and the smaller door 37 then opened through the larger door aperture 59. The doors are in a substantially abutting relation when opened to the position shown in Figure 8. The pivotal floor panel sections 57 are then swung downwardly to a position wherein the free edge of the panel sections rest upon the floor 22 thereby providing a ramp up to the door openings. It will be understood that a detachable catwalk may be placed between the two structures at the door openings. A canvas cover 63 is positioned over the top of the angular roofpanel 31' and hangs vertically downwardly adjacent the front and rear of the building structure. It will be understood that a collapsible passageway of the type shown in Figures 1-6 may be utilized in the expansible building 21' shown in Figures 7-10 with only minor modifications to the building.

In Figure 9 of the drawings, the two expansible building structures 20 are shown opened to an expanded condition and positioned a spaced, side-by-side distance apart. Referring to Figure 9, it will be understood that in the expanded position, the angular roof panels 31 are pivoted about the roof ridge member in the same manner as the angular roof panels 31 shown in Figures l-5 and described above. The wall panel 34, as seen in Figure 9, is extended vertically downwardly from the hinge 36 and rests upon the ledge 26 at the longitudinally extending free edge of the floor panel 23'. As seen in Figure 9, canvas skirts 66 may be hung from the floor 22 and floor panel 23, thereby enclosing the area between the bottom of the structure and the ground. When the building structure is expanded to an open position, as shown, it will be noted that the windows 62 in the doors 37 are located nearer the lower edge of the door.

Referring nowto Figure 10, a passageway is formed between the spaced apart expanded expansible structure 20' by opening the doors 37 outwardly (only the door 37 on the expansible structure 20 to the right being visible in the sectional view of Figure 10). When the buildings are properly spaced, the doors 37 form passageway walls which extend between the buildings. A detachable catwalk 46' is extended between the buildings, thereby providing a passageway floor. In addition, a

- 7 canvas cover member may be extended over the top and past the sides of the passageway thus created. With the windows 62 adjacent the bottom of the doors 37', the passageway floor, or detachable catwalk 46' may receive light from an outside source.

Having now described our invention in detail in accordance with the patent statutes, various other changes and modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in' this art, and it is intended that such changes and modifications shall fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the following claims.

We claim:

' 1. In an expansible building structure the combination of a rigid floor; a floor panel pivotally attached to the said floor; a wall panel pivotally mounted for rotation about a longitudinally extending axis; the said wall panel having a door aperture therein; a door pivotally mounted on the said wall 'panel and normally closing the said door aperture; and a collapsible passageway attached to the said wall panel adjacent the said door aperture, the said collapsible passageway being nested in a collapsed condition between the said floor and wall panels in the closed condition of the said building structure, the said wall panel and attached collapsible passageway being adapted to be pivoted about the said longitudinally extending axis to a position wherein the said collapsible passageway extends outwardly of the said building structure, the said collapsible passageway being adapted to be unfolded into an extended position when the building structure is in an open position.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein the said collapsible passageway comprises a pair of flat flange members interconnected by a flexible tunnel-like member, one of the said flanges being connected to the said wall panel and the other said flange member being adapted to be moved laterally thereof from collapsed to extended position.

3. In an expansible building structure the combination of a rigid floor; a floor panel pivotally attached to the said floor and normally extending upwardly at right angles thereto; a wall panel pivotally mounted for rotation about a longitudinally extending axis, which axis is arcuately movable between a closed and open position of the said building structure; the said wall panel having a door aperture therein; a door pivotally mounted on the said wall panel and normally closing the said door aperture; and a collapsible pasageway attached to the said wall panel adjacent the said door aperture in surrounding relation therewith, the said collapsible passageway being positioned inwardly of the said structure and nested in a collapsed condition between the said floor and wall panels in the closed condition of the said building structure, the said wall panel and attached collapsible passageway being adapted to be pivoted about the said movable longitudinally extending axis to a position wherein the said collapsible passageway extends outwardly of the said building structure, the said collapsible passageway being adapted to be unfolded into an extended position therewith when the building structure is in an open position.

4. In an expansible building structure the combination of: a rigid floor; a floor panel pivotally attached to the edge of the said floor and normally extending upwardly at right angles thereto, the said floor panel having an opening therein which terminates in the longitudinally extending free edge thereof; a pivotal floor panel section hinged to the said floor panel and normally extending uproof panel pivotally mounted for rotation about a fixed longitudinally extending axis; a wall panel pivotally mounted at the free longitudinally extending edge of the said angular roof panel and being normally folded inside and adjacent the said angular roof panel, the said wall and roof panel having a first and second door aperture therein, respectively; and first and second doors hingedly fastened to the said wall and roof panels, respectively, and normally closing the respective door apertures; the said first door and door aperture being somewhat smaller in size than the said second door and door aperture, the said first door being adapted to be pivoted outwardly to an open position through the said second door aperture when the'said second door is an opened position, the said floor panel sectionbeing adapted to be pivoted away from the said opening in the said floor panel.

5. The invention as recited in claim 4 including windows in the said first and second doors, which windows are in an adjacent relation in the normally closed position of the said doors and building structure.

6. In an expansible building structure the combination of: a rigid floor; a floor panel hinged to the edge of the said floor and normally extending upwardly at right angles thereto, the said floor panel having an opening therein which terminates in the longitudinally free edge thereof; a floor panel section hinged to the inner edge of the said opening and normally extending upwardly and parallel to the said floor panel; bulkheads fixed to and extending upwardly from the ends of the said floor; a roof structure including an angular roof panel hingedly connected for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the structure between the said bulkheads, the said angular roof panel including a normally horizontally extending first roof panel section and a normally vertically extending second roof panel section attached thereto; a wall panel hingedly connected to the longitudinally extending free edge of the said second roof panel section and being normally folded along and inside the said second roof panel section; the said wall panel and second roof panel section having a first and second door aperture therein, respectively, and first and second doors hingedly fastened about a vertical axis to the said wall panel and second roof panel section, respectively; the said first door and door aperture being somewhat smaller in size than the said second door and door aperture, the said first door being adapted to be pivoted outwardly to an open position through the said second door aperture when the said second door is in an outwardly opened position, the said floor panel section being adapted to be pivoted inwardly away from the said door aperture to form a ramp between the said floor and floor panel opening.

7. A method of forming an enclosure between two adjacent expansible building structures positioned a spaced distance apart, the said method comprising pivoting horizontally hinged floor panels on each structure to a position between the structures, pivoting wall panels on each structure to a position wherein the said wall panels rest adjacent the edge of the said floor panels, opening doors in each of the said wall panels, extending collapsible passageways from each wall panel to a position wherein the said extended collapsiblepassageways abut, and fastening the ends of the said collapsible passageways together.

No references cited. 

